Bounty #1

Written by: Kurtis Wiebe

Art by: Mindy Lee

Colours by: Leonardo Oler

Lettered by: Nate Piekos

Fiona Staples of Saga fame described Bounty #1 as “totally fresh and fun... a hilarious space adventure.” I agree that this may be the opinion of some people who will read this series, but unfortunately it is not an opinion that I fully share. Bounty #1 is unfortunately racked with subjective flaws, things that will appeal to some people but not to others, and unfortunately I have found myself in the “this is clearly not for me” camp.

The story follows two criminals, Nina and Georgie, as they are finally apprehended after several years of being the best thieves in the galaxy. Using a fail safe, they scrub all information of them from every database, and decide to try life from the other side, going from bounties to bounty hunters. Their new life is not quite as lucrative, however, as years later they find themselves struggling to get by. The overall plot itself is fine, although the introduction is a bit rushed and the fact that they are erased from the galactic net is kind of weird and convenient, but my biggest issue comes with the specifics of the dialogue. The book is littered with examples of “geek speak”, such as people saying “humblebrag” and “stfu” in real conversations, instantly dating the book and turning off readers that are annoyed by that kind of writing.

The art is heavily stylized, and while not to my personal liking, is highly detailed. Again, the style of this book is likely something that will appeal to many people, but will deter others. The colouring, however, is gorgeous it's vibrant, varied, and all around creates a very energetic tone that matches well with the style and tone of the book. Some of the movement seems odd at times, and I swear at least one panel has a character cross eyed, but overall the art is good, just not my particular style.

Overall, I wasn't a huge fan of this book. Simply put, it was not for me, which is a sentiment that I believe many people may share with this one in particular. If you are the target audience, however, I think you would find an enjoyable, lively book that has a decent set up. The characters still require development, and the art can be odd at times, but if you see the cover and think that this one looks interesting, you will likely enjoy what is inside, because in art and tone it is simply more of the same.